


Facade

by owlmoose



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Female Friendship, Gen, Missing Scene, Team Bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-11
Updated: 2018-01-11
Packaged: 2019-03-03 07:34:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13336446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/owlmoose/pseuds/owlmoose
Summary: Makoto and Ann share confidences during a study session.Set sometime between 11/21 and 12/14, closer to the end of that time. Alludes to a major spoiler.





	Facade

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Ladies Bingo, to the prompt "hard and soft" -- finishing out a line!

"Niijima-senpai?" 

Makoto turned around to see Ann standing behind her in the hallway. She smiled. "You know, I said you don't have to call me that."

Ann let out a nervous laugh, and hitched up the hand holding two books against her hip. "I remember. And, um, sorry. It's just habit, yeah? Especially since..." She took a quick look around. "Well, you know."

"I understand," Makoto replied with a nod. The leader of the Phantom Thieves was the glue bonding the team together; with him out of school, it felt a touch awkward to hang out with the other members in public. Everything was fine on the days they went to the Metaverse, but otherwise... "Well, anyway. What did you need?"

"Well..." Ann shifted from one foot to the other. "With exams coming soon and-- everything, I wondered if we could study together. Maybe just the two of us, or we could invite Haru if she's available?" She grimaced. "Ryuji is just too distracting."

"I have to agree there." Makoto chuckled. "The student council room is free today, if we want a quiet space. I'll text Haru right now."

She tapped out a message to Haru as she and Ann walked down the hall, then put her phone back in her pocket before heading up the stairs to the third floor and the calm of the student council room. Makoto let out a breath as the door fell shut behind her; maybe it was silly to feel safer here, in this room, than anywhere else, but she really did. Here, she was in charge, and nothing would come along to surprise her. Just as she set her books on the table, her phone buzzed; she pulled it out to read Haru's return note.

Ann pulled out a chair and flopped down into it. "Is that Haru?"

Makoto nodded. "She says she's in the middle of something with her plants right now, but once she's finished she'll come join us."

"Ah, good." Ann leaned forward in her seat, letting her elbows rest on the table. "Haru is so nice. Did you know her well before?"

"Not well," Makoto replied, taking a chair across the table. "We were friendly, but not close. She's pretty shy, you know, and I think afraid that people might try to get close to her because of her father's money. And I--" She paused for a moment, considering her own history with her classmates. "Well, I never really had friends before you guys." She flinched to say it, but it was true.

"Maybe not," Ann said with a shrug, "but I always admired you, even when I was angry, when I thought you helped hide the truth about Kamoshida."

Makoto froze, then sent Ann a sideways look. "Really?"

"Sure." Ann laced her fingers together and rested her chin atop them. "You always seem so strong, like you can take on anyone and anything. Hard as nails, but in a good way." She let out a sad laugh. "Not like me. I'm so soft and squishy. Not strong at all."

Makoto stared at Ann for a moment, then shook her head. "How can you say that, when..." 

She stopped herself abruptly, loathe to bring up the old rumors, but it was too late. Ann sat straight up and looked away with a sigh. "I know what they said about me," she said quietly. "Too good for this school, too good to go out with high school boys or have friends. I never felt that way, though. I felt soft and delicate and easy to hurt. So I put on this tough armor outside... and see where it got me? Everyone thought that I-- that Kamoshida..." 

"I'm sorry," Makoto replied, cutting Ann off before she had to say more. "I should know better. I _did_ know better. I think, even before, when it was happening, I knew." She shook her head with a rueful laugh. "You know, I kind of did the same thing. I was so worried about being a burden on my sister that I demanded perfection of myself, and then I started putting that expectation on everyone else. No wonder, then, that I pushed people away." 

"I think a lot of girls do that." Ann leaned back in her chair and drummed her fingers on the table top. "They think they have to live up to some image, you know? And we're all frightened inside, afraid we'll never measure up."

Makoto considered for a moment, then nodded. "You know, I think you're right." She leaned forward and looked straight at Ann. "Well, I promise, you never have to do that with me."

Ann turned toward Makoto with a quick smile, bright as sunshine. "Thank you! And I promise the same to you." She tipped her head to the side. "You know, it's nice to have friends besides Shiho. I still miss her a lot, but I'm glad to have found you all instead." She glanced down, then up, pink spots on her cheeks. "You know-- I've noticed that Haru calls you Mako-chan sometimes. This is so forward, but..."

A warm fondness filled Makoto's chest, and she touched a hand to her neck. "Of course, Ann-chan. I would be honored."

"Thank you!" Ann bowed her head, almost touching the desk,  
Makoto laughed, putting her hand over Ann's. Then Ann raised her head with a small grin. "Not in front of the boys, I promise."

"Oh, the boys." Makoto waved her hand. "They can think what they want. Anyway, for now, should we get to studying?"

"Sure." Ann sat up, the blush fading from her cheeks as she pulled open the book on the top of her stack. "Maybe we could start with History? I'm pretty hopeless there."

"Whatever you like." Makoto flipped open her own book. "And later, you can help me with my English."

"Of course," Ann said, and they got to work, secure in the new bond forming between them.


End file.
